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Lye Family History

Lye Name Meaning

English: variant of Lee 1 a topographic name for someone who lived near a patch of arable land or a habitational name from Lye in Herefordshire (with the same etymology). Norwegian: habitational name from a farmstead in Rogaland named Lye Old Norse Lýgi meaning ‘alliance covenant’ used to denote a place sanctified by such an agreement such as a court or council meeting place. Altered form of German Ley . French: habitational name from Lye in Indre. French (Lyé): habitational name from any of the places called Lié in Deux-Sèvres and Vendée. Chinese: variant of Lai .

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: Lee, Rye, Bye, Lyle, Lyde, Tye, Lier, Nye, Pye, Eye

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Lye family from?

You can see how Lye families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Lye family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Lye families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1840 there were 4 Lye families living in Massachusetts. This was about 44% of all the recorded Lye's in USA. Massachusetts had the highest population of Lye families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Lye surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
  • 1840
  • 1880
  • 1920
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What did your Lye ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Teacher were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Lye. 24% of Lye men worked as a Laborer and 12% of Lye women worked as a Teacher. Some less common occupations for Americans named Lye were Machinist and Housework. .

View Census Data for Lye | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    24%
  • Salesman
    8%
  • Lawyer
    6%
  • Machinist
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Teacher
    12%
  • Waitress
    12%
  • Cook
    12%
  • Housework
    12%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Lye family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 24,000 census records available for the last name Lye. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Lye census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Lye

Passenger Lists

There are 2,000 immigration records available for the last name Lye. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Lye immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Lye. For the veterans among your Lye ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Lye military records

You've only scratched the surface of Lye family history

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What is the average Lye lifespan?

Between 1957 and 2004, in the United States, Lye life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1976, and highest in 1986. The average life expectancy for Lye in 1957 was 52, and 80 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Lye

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